Officer Bridget Halladay was honored as the Humble ISD Police Department Officer of the Year at the 2023 Honoring Our Heroes Luncheon hosted by Partnership Lake Houston on Tuesday, September 19 at the Humble Civic Center.
“As a truancy officer, Officer Halladay has changed the lives of at-risk students and makes a tangible difference in their quality of life and helps ensure they receive the education and opportunities they deserve,” Humble ISD Chief of Police Chief Cook said.
Each year, Partnership Lake Houston recognizes outstanding first responders from agencies within the area.
Officer Halladay started working for the Humble ISD Police Department in September of 2016. In her time, she has served in various capacities and currently serves as the district attendance officer and truancy prevention facilitator. In this role, Officer Halladay aids Humble ISD’s 47 campuses by interpreting and enforcing compulsory attendance laws and resolving truancy.
“I realized this job is not about getting parents in trouble, getting kids in trouble,” Officer Halladay said. “It’s about saving them. It’s about turning their lives around.”
Officer Halladay makes it an emphasis in her role to work with each and every child to try and guide them back onto the path of attending school.
“I just think that if you take time with them, no matter where they came from or where they’re going, I have turned kids around,” Officer Halladay said. “They’re in school now. They’re happy, they’re thriving.”
Prior to the award ceremony, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez served as the guest speaker of the event.
“First responders are the backbone of any thriving community,” Gonzalez said. “We are the guardians of safety; the first line of defense in times of crisis and the embodiment of selflessness. We represent the very essence of public service and we do so with courage, compassion and honor.”